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Brandon Stark VI
Riverrun, Riverlands, Year 282 AC
Brandon was waiting patiently for Baelish to arrive for their duel, which the guy so desperately wanted to have. Somehow Brandon hoped the fool would see his own stupidity and don't even appear.
"Is this Petyr Baelish any good?" Asked an intrigued Kyle.
"Petyr is…pretty bad with the sword…" Edmure admitted sadly. "He struggles to defeat me most of the time."
"How old is he?" Ethan asked perplexed.
"Petyr is barely fifteen…" Replied Edmure.
"Fifteen namesdays old and he still struggles to beat a nine-year-old half-child?" Inquired Jeffory aghast. "Either Edmure is a master swordsman or Petyr is weak as shit."
"He stands no chance against Bran." Added Kyle with a smirk. "I would much rather see Brandon duel the Blackfish then this loser."
"Enough!" Said Brandon angrily. "He challenged me for a duel and he will have it."
"No need to be so angry about it…" Kyle scoffed. "You have this one on the pocket."
"Brandon…" Edmure began with a worried tone. "Petyr is a good friend of mine…do not kill him…please…"
Brandon turned to the little trout and gave him an assuring smile. "I won't kill him, don't worry," he assured. "I'm just going to give him some bruises so he stops being stupid."
Against Brandon's wish, Baelish appeared just as he finished talking…he wore only chainmail armor with an old chest plate and helmet…he wasn't even properly armored…Gods…
Ethan tried to give him his shield, but Brandon dismissed him and instead took off everything but his chest plate and helmet. This battle was already unfair as it was, there was no need for any more advantages. At least like this, Brandon could train situations where a fight had to be fought without a shield and proper armor so there was some profit in it.
"Brandon Stark." Replied the Valemen with disdain in his look once he stood in front of Brandon. For a starter house, he was more proud than most…
"Baelish," Brandon replied. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"I am."
"Then when you are ready." Brandon picked his sword from Edmure's hands. "I'm ready."
Baelish lost no time and charged at him with his sword in an uncoordinated slash. Brandon quickly blocked the charge and used the weak attack to give Baelish a shoulder tackle that sent him towards the floor. Baelish got up and positioned himself with the wrong footwork again, and once more charged horribly, Brandon dodged and managed to make him trip to the floor yet again by placing his feet in front of his.
"What do you guys think?" Brandon inquired his friends. "Did Baelish had enough?"
"No!" Baelish said stubbornly as he got up again. Couldn't he see he had no chance? Both in the fight and with Catelyn?
"Fine," Brandon sighed. "If you want to die so badly…" Give up stupid and let us be done with this farse.
With this Brandon took the initiative and began charging Petyr repeatedly, hitting the latter's shield with brute force, hoping to scare him into surrendering. His strength proved to be far too much for the skinny guy's shield which began breaking, taking the opportunity, Brandon kicked Petyr to the floor, making him lose the sword in the process.
"PETYR!" Screamed Lysa in agony as Catelyn held her back and Lyanna looked at him warily.
On the floor, Baelish crawled to his sword, but Brandon placed his feet in the sword making it impossible for Baelish to grab it. "Give up." Brandon demanded with a fierce look towards his opponent. Give up fool!
"No!" he shouted again, trying to take the sword from below Brandon's foot.
"You have no chance!" Brandon was now shouting at the stubborn fool. "Give up already!"
"Never!"
Suddenly he was rushed by Lysa Tully who seemed to be mad, if she could she would kill him then. "LET HIM GO YOUR MONSTER!" she hissed as she foolishly hit his chest plate with her hands making them get red. "LET HIM GO!"
The distraction allowed Baelish to recover his sword since Brandon loosen the grip he had on his foot.
"LYSA!" Screamed Catelyn as she grabbed one of her sister's arms and Lyanna grabbed the other. "Stop it!"
"Brandon!" Hissed Lyanna worriedly. "End this nonsense right now!"
"I'm trying but he just won't quit!" Barked Brandon towards his sister. He could end this fight but that was if killed Baelish and he didn't want to do that. "Baelish stop this nonsense, you have no chance of beating me and Catelyn doesn't love you so stop throwing your life away!"
"Your words Stark!" Baelish shouted. "I won't give up!" Then the skinny guy charged at him once more, and once more Brandon dodged. Brandon was so tired of this stupidity and angry as well, so he began charging towards Baelish without much caring anymore. One charge, a second one, a third, a fourth and a fifth and Baelish was completely out of his game, his shield was gone and he was right there, one slash and he would die…
"BRANDON!" Screamed Catelyn. This prompted Brandon to see the madness he was about to do…he almost killed the lad…NO! What am I doing?
Baelish being sneaky, hit him in the head with his helmet making Brandon flinch back with the impact. Baelish then moved in for the kill, but Brandon's reflexes were faster and so he sliced Baelish's chest with a heavy cut.
"NOOO!" Screamed Lysa in utter agony as she fell to her knees crying.
Petyr Baelish fell to the floor, his chest was bleeding heavily as Brandon's cut was so strong that it cut the old chest plate in half…Fuck…
"Get the Maester!" Screamed Lyanna. "Gods get the Maester or he will die!"
An hour passed since the duel ended or at least Brandon thought it did. He had gone to glance the Red Fork away from the castle and his deed…Lysa Tully crying made him feel unnerved.
"Bran…" His sister murmured as she took a seat next to him in the green grass of the current's right shore.
"I didn't want to kill him…" Said Brandon with no emotion in his face, he truly did not wish to kill the fool. He tried his best but he failed…
"I know." His sister replied as she patted his shoulder.
"He just wouldn't quit!" Brandon barked angrily. "Why fighting for someone who does not love him back?"
"Men are like that…" she replied. "I'm sure you would do dumb things for someone you love."
"I love no one." he confessed, feeling worst now that he said it.
"You love your family." she retorted with a raised eyebrow. "Or do you not?"
"I do…" he agreed. His family was everything to him, they were the pack after all. Even his father for as much as Brandon was angry with him currently. "Even father…"
"See? You would do stupid things for us all, your dear family." she smiled while patting his elbow with hers.
"I probably would…" he smiled too. "Something really stupid…so stupid that someone in the future generations would say, man what a stupid fool Brandon Stark was."
"You don't have to be so hard on yourself, stupid." she quickly told him.
"I'm stupid."
"You are stupid…but my dear stupid brother." she leaned closer to his shoulder. "I like you more when you say stupid things…I love Ned for being the brooding one and that's enough of brooding brothers…"
Brandon began laughed loudly. "Maybe we are switching? I'm becoming the brooding one and he the cocky one?"
"Ned being cocky?" she inquired with a raised eyebrow. "What world would that be?"
"I can't imagine that Dumb Wolf being cocky and smirking like a fool as I do." he concurred.
"That wouldn't be our Ned."
"No, it wouldn't." Agreed Brandon with a happier face. "Thank you for cheering me up Lya."
"I'm always there for my brothers," she assured him. "All of them."
"Do you think the sneaky bastard will survive?" Brandon questioned.
"He will, they Maester said so." Lyanna nodded. "I'm sure he will remain living for many more years."
"He was so desperate that he cheated!" Brandon growled.
"I know, I saw it." Lyanna nodded. "Yet he is young and stupid, and doesn't deserve to die yet."
"No, I don't believe so either." Brandon agreed.
"Brandon…"
"Yes?"
"I was thinking of taking a small retinue to go meet Ned at the Eyrie…" Of course…
"Why?"
"Your soon to be wife and her sister are boring…" she scoffed. "The only thing they do is embroidery and pray at the Sept…I hate both things."
"Lya you arrived yesterday…" Brandon tried to dismiss. "Cat likes to take walks by the riverside…I'm sure you will like it."
"But it's being too boring for me already!" she hissed. "If I can go and meet Ned, time will pass faster for me and Ned and Ashara are more interesting than the Tully sisters."
"You are going to bother the pair of them," Brandon told her. "And besides father told you that you had to stay here until he arrived."
"You left father in such bad terms and now you are obeying him?" she countered. Gods be damned this she-wolf is way too smart at times.
"Lya…"
"Robert will…come with Ned too…maybe I could use this opportunity to…get to know him better…"
"Lya, you are not going to do that." he rolled his eyes at his sister's strategies. "We both know how you are."
"I will, I promise!" she tried to assure him. "I swear it by the Old Gods! Please brother, let me go…"
Brandon sighed and looked at her with a defeated look. "And what will I tell father when he arrives and doesn't see you here?"
"You were going to ignore him already," she answered. "Just do that."
"Gods, the length you go to have it your way…"
"Pretty please…" she begged with girly eyes...
"Fine!" he concluded with another sighed. "In a week's time, I will inquire Lord Tully for a retinue to lead you to the Vale so you can meet your betrothed and brother, but you shall do what the captain says until you are in Ned's control, understood?"
She beamed at his answer and gave him a big hug. "Yes! Thank you so much, big brother."
"But you must get to know Robert better!" he quickly told her. "For your trip to have a purpose in father's eyes besides annoying Ned and his lady love."
"I promise I will." His sister assured.
"I mean it!" Brandon insisted. "And in the meantime, you will have to spend time with Cat."
"Don't worry I will!" she hissed at her brother's insistence. "Even if it's boring…"
"Now…I think I need a cup of wine…where are the guys at?"
"Inside the castle," she told him. "Worried about you but too afraid to search for you."
"I will invite them for a drink then." he concluded.
"Don't you dare get drunk!" she warned him. "It would be a slight to Lord Tully."
"I won't." he replied. It took more than just a couple of cups of wine for him to get drunk.
"I mean it!"
"Spoiled brat…"
"Stupid…"
"I love you Lya."
"I love you too brother."
And so they returned to the castle embraced in a sibling hug and laughing with each other. I may be a fool but at least I have my family.
Lysa Tully IV
Riverrun, Riverlands, Year 282 AC
Lysa remained by Petyr's side ever since he got unconscious in that stupid duel. She never left his side unlike Cat who only stayed for a few minutes and he did all this for her…Father did not spend too much there either, instead, she heard him rage about Petyr's behavior…her father was stupid really.
"Lysa I brought you some food…" Her uncle said as he entered Petyr's room and closed the door behind him. She smiled at him, he was the only one she still didn't hate.
"Thank you uncle." she said as she picked the bowl from his hand.
"The injury is pretty bad." Her uncle proclaimed but she knew this much already, both Maester Kym and Maester Luwin had to put patches all over Petyr's chest…she almost cried and puked at the sight of it, his bruise was disgusting. "But I'm sure he will make it."
"I hope so…"
She noticed that her uncle's expression was solemn and at first she thought it was concern for poor Petyr but…it didn't seem like it… "Listen Lysa…I…I know you have…feelings for Petyr but…"
That caught her off-guard, she wasn't expecting this… "How did you…"
"Find out? It wasn't too hard, whenever he gets hurt you almost cry, dear niece." Her uncle said with a shy smile. "I may not be married but I know a thing or two about love."
"I just…can't seem to make him love me as much as I love him…" she confessed tearfully.
"I think it's better that way…" What? "Petyr is a nice lad but a troublemaker and of too low birth for you…"
"He is nobleborn!" Lysa hissed, now feeling betrayed by her uncle, he was the last one she trusted and now he did this...
"You are Tully Lysa, we may not be the oldest family but we are ancient nonetheless, House Baelish is not." Her uncle said as he knelt before her. "Furthermore I think you are capable of getting a better marriage. You are beautiful, you have two beautiful blue eyes and a beautiful and fiery red hair, you are kind and smart…"
"No one loves me uncle!" she screamed crying. "Nobody wants me! They all want Cat! Cat is the perfect one, not me! I'm just some Lord's second ugly daughter!"
"And do you think Petyr is different from the rest of those cunts?" Her uncle asked. "As far as I know he preferred Cat…he fought for her…not you…" Her uncle's speech was interrupted by her slap on his face, he was left speechless as he looked at her but she cared not, she wasn't thinking either so his look didn't affect her at all. "Lysa…"
"I HATE YOU!" she screamed angrily. "I HATE YOU ALL!"
"Lysa I…"
"GET OUT!" she screamed. "GET OUT!" Her uncle sighed and then stood up. He sighed again and left the room. Lysa was tired of them all, they were all mean to her, they did not care for her, only the family's prestige mattered. She cried and cried for a very long time, cursing her miserable life.
"Ca…Cat…"
"Petyr?" Lysa asked, tears still in her eyes but somehow she was feeling much better now that Petyr was awake. "Oh, Petyr I was so worried about you…that stupid monster almost killed you…"
"Where is Cat?" he asked concerned and it made her angrier than what she was already.
"Petyr why must you care so much about her when she treats you so badly?" she asked indignantly and angrily. "I love you…"
He said nothing, he merely stayed quiet…Lysa contemplated the possibility of crying more but instead, she opted to do the only thing she could, prove him how much she loved him. She pulled her skirt up and took her smallclothes while Petyr's eyes bulged, then she climbed to his bed just as last time and kissed his lips. "Lysa?" he asked as he glanced her.
"I will make you forget about Cat, you won't need her when you have me…" she said as she kissed him again.
"Lysa…"
That day she gave herself to Petyr yet again but this time, he was sober enough to know it was her. Uncle Brynden knew nothing of love, he never married and so he could not give her advice, now she hated him even more than father, for everything he said to her.
Aerys Targaryen II
Red Keep, King's Landing, Crownlands, Year 282 AC
Aerys watched from the balcony of his room as the beautiful green flames consumed the ice by the mouth of the Blackwater. It had been a genius move to make the acolytes burn the never-ending wildfire pots to keep the peasants warm and stop them from getting sick with those awful diseases that could undermine his reign. A problem solved with clear results.
But he still had more problems that required being solved such as who was the Knight of the Laughing Tree, that traitor that escaped him and how to get rid of Rhaegar who he knew was conspiring against him despite not having the evidence to back it up…
Concerning the first problem, he was fully sure that the Knight was a Northerner but he had been thinking who it could be because most of them were taller than Aerys himself and the Knight wasn't. He remembered a few that seemed small like the youngest Stark, a dwarf man that was around them and the women, and from the women, he remembered the Stark bitch rather well.
She wasn't tall, she was quite small and by the looks of it, she was uncouth because the other memory Aerys had of her besides being crowned was her spilling her wine over her brother. Aerys had to admit that he laughed quite a lot at the sight. He also knew that Northerner women were proficient with weaponry so perhaps it was her…yet she was a daughter of a Lord Paramount betrothed to Steffon's son surely she would be more refined and…
But that was it! He could use this opportunity to disrupt the alliance in which Starks and Baratheons were in! By accusing the Stark bitch of being the Knight and thus forcing her to be judged…he could place bribed judges and manipulate the trial in his favor…the High Septon could be easily persuaded to help him if it meant weakening those Northern infidels…but then he had to deal with the rest of them…how could he weaken them without having them revolting…by making Rhaegar seem like the bad guy! Oh, this one was a genius move! By framing Rhaegar he could get rid of him while weakening the Starks and Baratheons at the same time…two birds killed with just one stone…
But how could Aerys frame the perfect Prince as they called his stupid son? Maybe if he sent some men after Lyanna Stark as her brother would marry the Tully bitch at Riverrun…they could kidnap her there…yes…and then Aerys could accuse his son of doing it…people would believe it because the fool crowned the Stark bitch Queen of Love and Beauty at Harrenhal…yes! This was a perfect plan!
But it needed something else to make it truly perfect…his son needed to be out of King's Landing and Dragonstone…the fool liked that cursed palace of Summerhall but that wouldn't cut it…perhaps he could force Rhaegar to go North in hopes of saving Lyanna Stark from an arrest…just the thought of seeing Rhaegar being found in the Riverlands or the North while everyone thought he kidnapped her was making Aerys cackle with amusement.
But this had to remain quiet…the fewer people that knew about it, the better, Aerys did not trust any of them, not even his incompetent Small Council. He could not leave a single trace of his involvement in the plot if he wished to get rid of his son. It had to be perfect. They will know they can't mess with a dragon, Fire and Blood will come to them.
Rhaegar Targaryen IV
Red Keep, King's Landing, Crownlands, Year 282 AC
His father had called Rhaegar to a meeting in his personal study…the invitation left Rhaegar uneased as his father never called him for such meetings so why was he now? Arthur followed him like a shadow that day as it was his job.
"I just don't understand why he wishes to have a talk all of a sudden," Rhaegar confessed to his friend. "It's leaving me uneased…"
"You are not the only one…" Arthur replied. "Just stay calm and focused and it will be fine."
"I know." They arrived at his father's study where Ser Gerold was already standing on guard. "Ser Gerold." Rhaegar acknowledged.
"My Prince." The Lord Commander bowed without moving from his place.
"I will stay here on guard," Arthur said. "Best of luck."
"Thank you." And so Rhaegar knocked on the door, hearing his father's authorization to enter right after. As he did enter, he noticed his father seated on his chair, unusually happy which left him even more uncomfortable. "Your Grace."
"Take a seat." His father commanded and Rhaegar did as he was told. "You must be wondering why I called you here."
He would be stupid if he wasn't… "I'm indeed curious."
"I have the pleasure of informing you, my son, that I have discovered the identity of the traitorous Knight of the Laughing Tree." What? How did he found out? Did Lord Varys tell him?
"My King I'm sure it was just a boy trying to be the next Ser Barristan…"
"Silence!" His father hissed angrily. "A boy or not he disobeyed a royal command therefore he is a traitor and must suffer the consequences of it."
"Surely he meant no harm, he merely got scared…"
"What if I told you he was…a woman…" Oh Gods…
"A w…woman?" he tried his best to sound surprised but he was more afraid than anything. "No…a woman wouldn't challenge three men for a joust, especially if she was that small."
"But it's more likely for a woman to be that small than a man wouldn't you agree? And judging by the sigil, a bloody laughing weirwood tree that was making fun of me, it ought to have been a woman as the rest of the Northerners were all too big." Curse you Lord Varys, it's obvious my father is suspecting of Lyanna Stark. "And I happened to have seen a Northern woman with the guts pull this off, me and you both…after all…you crowned her…"
"Lyanna Stark?"
"Indeed…your mistress of whatever she is…" His father said smirking.
"Father this is a very serious accusation, she is a Lord Paramount's daughter…" Rhaegar quickly said. "And she is not my mistress."
"I don't recall you caring about it when you crowned her." His father retorted and there wasn't much he could reply to that. "You have a big nerve to stand up against me when you are likely to be her accomplice admitting she is a mistress or not."
"Father I would never dare to betray you."
"I don't believe you!" His father hissed. "I know you have been conspiring against me ever since Duskendale, I know you want this throne but you will not get it."
"I swear it by the Old Gods and the New that I'm not."
"They say you are the perfect Prince, but should they know you as I do and they would be wishing for your useless mother to be my heir." Mother would do a much better job than you and me… "But it matters not, I have already commanded Ser Manly to send gold cloaks to bring Lyanna Stark here to be judged." It can't be…
"Father this is madness, Lord Stark will rise in rebellion and more will join him."
"Do you think I fear wolves?" His father inquired angrily. "A dragon does not fear weaker creatures such as wolves. If you fear them, then you are no dragon. The realm only has space for loyal servants, not traitors."
"Father you can't be serious! Just think about the consequences this may have." Rhaegar insisted completely abashed and worried at what disasters such action could produce. It will cause a war…I must stop this… "This is madness…"
"Well…if you got the fame already…better make it worth it." he laughed in rattling tone. "In all seriousness, I merely wish to judge her for her crimes not kill her, I can show clemency too." Rhaegar said nothing, he simply began planning his move. First, he would go save her, then he could use Lord Stark's anger in his favor and rise in rebellion against his father. He would have a very long time to fulfill the prophecies to face the Great Peril. "Are you listening or not?"
"I wasn't…paying attention…"
"Of course you weren't, you incompetent fool." His father spat out. "I dismissed you."
"Of course…may the Gods have mercy on our family."
"We are blessed by the Gods, they do not need to show us mercy."
As soon as he exited he called for Arthur to follow him and then he searched for Oswell as well and then he explained everything to them.
"Seven hells…if they catch her then we have a war…" Oswell said as he rubbed his chin. "Lord Stark will call his banners before he delivers his daughter…especially for such a stupid reason."
"And he won't be the only one calling for his banners either…my cousin will follow suit and then Lord Arryn and Lord Tully." Rhaegar added.
"But why would he tell you this?" Arthur asked. "And in his study? Doesn't it sound weird? I mean your father has a grudge against you."
"He knew it was Lyanna Stark, surely the Spider told him something." Rhaegar proclaimed. "It's a very serious threat, Arthur, this can lead to war."
"I'm not saying it's not a threat, I just find it weird that he told this to you, what does he gain from this?"
"Nothing…" It could indeed be a trap…but it was a real threat… "But it doesn't hurt to go check and have a talk with Lord Stark about it. Each of you will grab a horse and some loyal men and then we will ride straight to Riverrun."
"We will be outnumbered if a fight ensues…" Arthur warned.
"Come on Arthur, each of us is worth ten Gold Cloaks." Ser Oswell dismissed. "I'm not afraid of some Gold Cloaks and neither should you."
"Though we shouldn't be cocky, Ser Oswell is right." Rhaegar expressed his opinion on the matter. "I don't think my father sent a hundred Gold Cloaks so I think we should be fine. If not we can think about something else."
"We should send a raven to Lord Stark informing him of everything…" Ser Oswell suggested.
"No, it will be too risky." Arthur quickly dismissed. "He might raise his banners anyway. As much as I hate it, we must inform him personally and then use his forces to depose Aerys as quickly as we can, this has gone too far already."
"I couldn't agree more," Rhaegar concluded. "I will look for Jon, he will be covering us and keep an eye on my father."
"I doubt he can do much but okay..." Ser Oswell murmured. "Ah, it's Jon he will find a way around it."
"Let's hurry and stop my father from provoking a war." Rhaegar concluded.
"Aye."
So I tried to expand the whole Rhaegar/Lyanna thing of my story, I don't like the most used way and Show canon way of how things went. Also, I think a cunning and mad Aerys is more interesting than just a mad Aerys.
Regarding Lysa, I think young Lysa and AGOT Lysa are two different people. I think she was a shy and unconfident girl that felt jealous for her sister because everyone preferred Catelyn and then she got a bad outcome in life, an outcome that made her crazy. But I may be nice to her...so she becomes more than a crazy woman.
Anyway, thank you for sparing time reading and I hope everyone has a nice day.
